The Destruction of Middenheim

Lore & Background

Middenheim, carved from the great Ulricsberg mountain, was long considered the Empire's most defensible city. Its walls had never been breached, and its cult of Ulric, the god of winter and war, inspired fierce resistance. Yet during the End Times, the Skaven, under the cunning Grey Seer Thanquol, tunneled beneath the city's foundations, collapsing its lower districts and flooding the streets with warpstone-tainted vermin. The Ubersreik Five, fresh from their victories in Helmgart and the Chaos Wastes, arrived too late to prevent the fall, witnessing instead the city's transformation into a Skaven warren and a staging ground for Chaos legions.

In Their Own Story

The sky above Middenheim was a bruised purple, choked with smoke from burning temples. Below, the streets ran slick with blood and warpstone dust. I saw the White Wolf banner torn down, replaced by a tattered standard bearing the horned rat. The screams of the faithful echoed from the Great Temple of Ulric, now a nest for rat ogres. We fought through the sewers, past piles of broken statues and shattered shields, but the city was already dead. In the throne room, Thanquol cackled, his staff crackling with green lightning, as the last defenders fell. We escaped through a collapsing tunnel, the mountain groaning as Middenheim's heart was devoured from within.

Reader's Guide

The Destruction of Middenheim is the backdrop for the final missions of Warhammer: Vermintide 2's base campaign, particularly 'The Skittergate' and 'The War Camp.' Players witness the aftermath of the city's fall through dialogue and environmental storytelling—the ruined streets, the Skaven banners, and the presence of Chaos warriors. In established Warhammer Fantasy lore, Middenheim's fall is a key End Times event, but Vermintide's retelling focuses on the Ubersreik Five's personal involvement, emphasizing Thanquol's role as the mastermind. Terms like 'Ulricsberg' (the mountain the city is built on) and 'White Wolf' (a symbol of Ulric) appear in item descriptions and character banter. The game adds a layer of immediacy by making the player characters witnesses to the city's last stand, rather than distant historians.

Did You Know?

• Middenheim's fall is a direct result of the Skaven's mastery of tunnel warfare, a tactic they used to bypass the city's legendary walls.
• The Great Temple of Ulric, a central landmark, was desecrated by the Skaven and used as a breeding ground for rat ogres.
• In Vermintide 2, the Destruction of Middenheim is referenced in several character voice lines, particularly by Victor Saltzpyre, who laments the loss of a Sigmarite stronghold.
• The event marks the point where the Ubersreik Five shift from defending the Empire to a desperate retreat, setting the stage for the Chaos Wastes expansion.